


Thanks a Latte

by KillerKueen



Series: Rumbelle Showdown 2017 [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 10:51:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10436061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillerKueen/pseuds/KillerKueen
Summary: Belle enjoys her trips to the coffee shop. The man she sits across from who's always on his computer has absolutely nothing to do with it. Really.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the RumbelleShowdown 2017 under the name Chalk Dust
> 
> Round three prompts: Rivals, Feeling nostalgic, “I may be available.”

 

The second best part of Belle’s Sunday was the first sip of mocha; she loved the cool whipped cream as it blended with the hot chocolate flavor, sweet on her tongue. Almost as rewarding as that first sip was the first bite of warm muffin—usually she could time it just right so that a new batch was fresh from the oven when she arrived.

But nothing, caffeine nor carbs, compared to sitting on the worn, pea green couch that always smelled faintly of mint. It felt so novel, being able to call a spot hers. That it was facing the table that her mystery man sat at was of little consequence, of course.

She had been coming to this cafe for a good couple months now, and whenever she’d sit on her couch, book in her lap, she’d see him at the table across the room usually staring at his laptop in front of him.

His name was Gold. She’d heard the baristas call it out once, and it had stuck in her mind. It suited him, even with his worn jeans and white button down shirt—he may have lacked some obvious grandeur but he more than made up for it with his handsome face, always so warm or pensive as he stared at the screen.

She wondered what he did on there to make him look so…content. It was part of the mystery, and Belle loved mysteries.

She felt her stomach curl in anticipation as she gave her order to the barista. Yes, seeing Gold was certainly the best part of Sunday.

She gave a pleasant “thanks” when her mocha was called and walked past the serving bar to where the lounge area was waiting for her.

Belle’s eyes were immediately drawn to Gold’s table, and she nearly dropped her coffee at what she saw. There he was, in his usual spot, but there was a woman with him. She had sleek, curly red hair that framed a sharp face. Her eyes widened as she laughed at something he said and swatted his arm, playfully admonishing for the joke.

The woman was pretty; Belle could admit that, even as jealously clawed up her chest.

It was completely unfair, of course. Besides making brief eye contact a handful of times, she hadn’t even said two words to him, so who was she to get all upset over his dating someone else?

Belle stood there, trying not to stare at the couple as she thought about her options. She could leave, or she could sit down anyway and read, like she’d been pretending to do for all the Sundays she’s been coming, but—she winced as the woman laughed again, the sound high and grating—she wasn’t sure she could take it.

Belle frowned as she watched Gold more closely. He winced when the woman laughed, too, his lips pulling into a frown. His body was also angled away from her, shoulders hunched and rigid.

Well, then.

Before she could think better of it, Belle plopped down next to him at the table, on his other side. She took his hand, where it was resting near the keyboard, and gave it a squeeze.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said brightly. “Here, I got you something to make up for it.” She pushed the plate with her still-warm muffin towards him.

Gold looked over in surprise. Belle was delighted to discover that his eyes were a deep brown, and she immediately thought of the swirl of coffee and cream, sweet and sharp.

“Excuse me,” the woman snapped. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“I’m his girlfriend,” Belle said. Go big or go home, after all. “I’m sorry it took me so long,” she said again, turning back to Gold and smiling warmly. “Thanks for waiting.”

“Ah—ah, yes. Of course,” he coughed uncomfortably. “If you’ll excuse us, dearie,” he said, nodding to the woman.

With a scowl and the unpleasant screech of chair legs across floorboards, the woman stood and thankfully went away.

There was a moment of silence, and then Belle felt his hand flex in hers. She realized she hadn’t let go. “I’m sorry,” she said miserably, finally releasing him. “I know that made me just as bad, but you looked so uncomfortable.”

Gold shook his head, “No, believe me, you did me a huge favor. I was waiting for the screen to load, and I made the mistake of smiling at her.”

“That’s what you get for being friendly,” she couldn’t help but say.

Gold gave a good natured shrug. “Not sure I regret it, now,” he said, his smile going lopsided, and he was handsome from far away but up-close oh he was beautiful. His hair just brushed his collar, the open buttons on his shirt bared his throat and gave her just a glimpse of collarbone, and his eyes, deep and coffee brown.

Belle tore her gaze away, desperate for something to distract her so she wouldn’t embarrass herself utterly. Her eyes landed on the glowing screen of Gold’s laptop, and the chat that it was open on. She couldn’t help but read the name on the chat: Bae.

She laughed a little, brutally pushing down her disappointment. It would seem as if her and the woman weren’t rivals after the same guy after all. “You should have just told her that you’re already taken,” she said pointing to the name.

He frowned, looking where she pointed. “Taken?”

“Yeah, that you were talking with your girlfriend.” At his completely baffled look (and lord his face was so expressive) she quickly amended, “or your boyfriend.”

“I don’t…I’m not in a relationship.”

“You’re chatting with Bae? That usually refers to someone special.”

“Ah—ah, no.” He laughed a little self consciously, the shoe finally, firmly dropped. “Bae is my son. It’s short for Baelfire, actually.”

Belle nodded, frowning. “Wait, you don’t mean the Third King? That Baelfire?”

“Yes, the Third King,” Gold said, his smile widening. “You’ve read the Ardismouth Castle books?”

“I grew up with those books!” Belle said, delighted. “Wow, I haven’t thought about Ardismouth Castle in…in years.” Belle looked down to the table, her delight bursting almost as quickly as it swelled. She remembered the nights her mother would tuck her in and read for as long as Belle could stay awake to listen. Collette would always give in to her pleas of “just one more chapter. Please, Mama, just one more?”

Belle loved the tales of far off places, of magic, loved the sword fights and the princes in disguise. Best of all was the heroine, who kicked ass and didn’t take no for an answer.

Of course, then her mother died and Belle couldn’t bare to read the series without her. But that was years ago.

“Did you read them together, you and your son?” she asked, taking a careful sip of her mocha, long cooled. It didn’t do to dwell in the past—that was the lesson of the Third King, after all.

“I did, yes. He loved them, though he wasn’t quite as moved by Baelfire as I was. His favorite character was Rumpool.”

“Rumpool?” Belle laughed. “That tricky little bastard was my favorite, too. He had such style.”

“Bae would agree with you. He insisted I called him that for months, saying that if he had to be named after a character, it had to be that one.”

“And did you?”

“I told him to just be thankful I didn’t name him after Zoso.”

Belle smiled, shaking her head. “So that’s what you do then, hm? You skype with your son.”

A blush appeared across his face, and he ducked his head. “Ah, yeah. He’s overseas right now for a study abroad program and he doesn’t have texting on his phone anymore. I’m not sure how it all works, to tell you the truth, but we can still talk over skype. So I come here.” He looked at her from the corner of his eye, then over to the couch where she usually sat. “It’s a pleasant place to be.”

Belle felt something very warm start to pool in her stomach. Perhaps he spent just as much time watching her.

Just then, the laptop gave a cheerful ding, indicating someone coming online.

“Ah, I see that’s my cue,” Belle said.

The smile on his face seemed to fall a little, but he nodded. “Of course. Thank you for rescuing me.”

She scooted her chair back, but hesitated. “You know, I think I might come back here Wednesday night—”

“I may be available then, too,” his eyes lighting up like a flower uncurling in sunlight. “I mean,” he said, flushing again. “I didn’t mean—”

Belle laughed, thoroughly charmed. “We could talk some more about Ardismouth Castle. Or your son. Or whatever, really.”

“Anything,” he said nodding.

“That’s good,” she said, smiling. “Good thing.”

He nodded. “Yes. Good.”


End file.
